Steve Carell Will Leave THE OFFICE Before Season Finale

By now, most fans of The Office are well aware that this will be the last season with Steve Carell as everyone’s favorite bumbling boss Michael Scott. While many think this could bring about the end of the NBC comedy series, the writer’s are simply preparing to bring a new manager into the mix. While we’ve heard severalnames to replace Carell, showrunner Paul Lieberstein (who also plays Toby Flenderson) has said someone in the office could just as easily get the job. However, he also told us that we wouldn’t find out who Carell’s replacement would be until the spring, and thus the guessing game has stopped. But some new information about Carell’s departure has surfaced as Vulture reveals Michael Scott will actually leave Dunder-Mifflin before the season even concludes. More details after the jump.

Lieberstein says, “Steve will have a number of episodes that dramatize and lead up to Steve leaving. Then we’ll continue on for about four more episodes, and the spring will prove to be not about an actor leaving, but what happens in an office when a manager leaves and the chaos ensues and people vie for the job and are uncertain about their future. It was about focusing the spring on the office and everybody else, and not just a character going. If the show was ending, it would be about that. But it’s not.” Some people will surely beg to differ as many are already writing a eulogy for The Office in thinking that no one can truly replace Carell and keep the series strong. While a new boss might be fresh, losing a major series star tends to be a sign of an imminent conclusion.

The showrunner also goes on to talk about the potential in-house candidates to become the new manager at Dunder-Mifflin, but we won’t post them for those who are looking to stay spoiler-free. For a little bit more about what the rest of this season of The Office has in store, head on over to Vulture for the rest of their story. Anyone getting anxious about Steve Carell’s departure?